ITS CHOCOLATE COVERED IN ANYTHING DAY AND GLASGOW IS CEELBRATING

WE’VE heard a lot about unusual food days but we absolutely love the idea of Chocolate Covered In Anything  day which takes place this Monday. 
After all, in this season of festive indulgence, what better excuse than to have to dip into some of the sweet stuff as a matter of national duty. 
Indeed Scots admit to eating sweeties at least once a day, compared with just 30 percent of their counterparts in England and Wales - no wonder the average annual per capita consumption of chocolate bars is estimated at 200. Supermarket chain Marks and Spencer also admit its sweeties sell in far greater numbers north of the border.

Here’s some other fascinating chocolate facts to celebrate the big day. 

1. Scotland became a nation of chocolate lovers when sugar cane or white gold as it was known came over from the Caribbean. There was so much sugar coming down the Clyde  that the first town you came to on the river, Greenock, was nicknamed Sugaropolis. 

2.  Dark chocolate (with 70 to 85 percent cocoa content), contains different nutrients. In 100 grams of dark chocolate, you receive almost 100 percent of the daily recommended intake of manganese, nearly 90 percent of necessary copper intake, and about 67 percent of your needed iron intake.

3. Scotland boasts a number of independent chocolatiers with Finlay MacDonald being one of the youngest. Finlay established Chocolates of Glenshiel in 2016 in his Highland kitchen by Loch Duich. His chocolates are flavoured with Talisker whisky, Misty Isle gin and sea salt – all from the nearby Isle of Skye, heather honey and raspberries from Blairgowrie and marmalade from Dundee.

4. The Spanish Conquistador Don Hernán Cortés first realised the  commercial value of cocoa beans which he took to Spain in 1528. Very gradually, the custom of drinking the chocolatespread across Europe, reaching England in the 1650s.

5. Gluten free Indian restaurant Dakhin in Glasgow’s Merchant City is celebrating this Monday’s occasion with its specially created Chocolate Dosa. The South Indian crepe has been specially coated with chocolate with a rich chocolate and coconut filling and will be available for £4.95 on the day. It’s similar to a crepe without the wheat flour.

6. The creation of the first modern chocolate bar is credited to Joseph Fry, who in 1847 discovered that he could make a moldable chocolate paste by adding melted cacao butter back into Dutch cocoa. By 1868, a company called Cadbury was marketing boxes of chocolate candies in England.

7. Studies have shown that eating dark chocolate has the same effect on the brain as falling in love, thanks to a release of the chemical phenylalanine. Maybe that’s why us Scots will do crazy things to get our hands on a chocolate bar. 

8. Some studies suggest that colder, dark climates—during midwinter, in Scotland, the sun might rise for barely seven hours per day—the human body craves more sugary foods to offset Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.

9. Drink it or eat, melt it or freeze it, have it bitter or have it sweet. Chocolate is such an exciting ingredient to include in dishes and can add a sweetness or bitterness to an otherwise acidic or spicy meal. It can even  complement nicely the salty notes of crisps.
There’s plenty of room for creativity on National Chocolate Covered Anything Day.
This is a sponsored post by Dakhin restaurant in Glasgow. 

NATIONAL BEER DAY BRINGS EXTRA FROTH TO GLASGOW AND BEYOND

IT’S National Drink Beer Day this Saturday and to celebrate we’ve compiled a list of facts about one of our favourite drinks.

1. In ancient Egypt, beer was traditionally brewed by women. Beer soup was also a popular breakfast dish in medieval Britain and was often made with beer and cheese.

2. President Obama was the very first president to brew his own beer on White House grounds. The White House Honey Porter and White House Honey Ale were brewed using honey produced in beehives at the White House.

3.  For more than 5,000 years beer has been brewed in Scotland and there are currently more than 150 breweries in Scotland producing around 2,000 regular beers and thousands more special event beers.

4. This Saturday Dakhin South Indian restaurant in Candleriggs Glasgow which also celebrates its fifteenth birthday this month has partnered with Kingfisher beer to give a free pint with every main dish ordered from its menu. Just quote ‘15th birthday’ when you book a table.

5. In 2013, Germany built a 5km beer pipeline to the Veltins-Arena, a major football stadium in the city of Gelsenkirchen. There is a Thor Beer pipeline in Randers, Denmark and the Halve Maan Brewery opened one in Bruges, Belgium.

6. Beer has been around for so long that the moon even has a crater named Beer. Beer is the world’s oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic drink and the third most popular drink – after water and tea.

7. Cenosillicaphobia is the fear of an empty beer glass. Obviously ‘the fear’ can come  from an beer glass too. The world's longest hangover lasted four weeks after a Scotsman consumed 60 pints of beer.

8.Stanford researchers found that beer bubbles create a gravity-defying loop. Bubbles head up in the center where frictional drag from the glass is less and moves down on the outside as the top gets crowded.

SCOTS INDIAN RESTAURANT THE DHABBA TO GO NUT FREE

A Scots Indian restaurant is the first to go completely nut free in its dishes.
The Dhabba in Glasgow’s merchant city has become the first Indian restaurant in Scotland to offer people with nut allergies a kitchen where no nut dishes are manufactured.
Owner Navdeep Basi and his staff at the North Indian restaurant have ensured that no nuts will be used in their kitchen.
They have also contacted their suppliers to check how they process food in a bid to eradicate nuts in the ingredients they receive from elsewhere.
And whilst they cannot guarantee 100 per cent that some foods have not been packaged in facilities where nuts exist, they have tried to minimise the risk of this.
Navdeep said: “We are very conscious about the needs of our customers and the growing demand for nut free meals. At The Dhabba our chefs have found another way of making quality dishes that taste a lot better and have a similar texture.
We have even contacted our suppliers to check how they process food in a bid to eradicate nuts in the ingredients. We have tried out utmost to minimise the risks of having any nuts in our food and our kitchen process has been rigorous. There will no nuts or even mustard seeds used in our kitchens at all.
The only allergens on our menu now are a small bit of gluten, dairy and egg and we have recently launched a separate brand new vegan menu which has a wider choice.
A note on the restaurants menu now reads: “All the foods on our menu are prepared without using nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, celery, lupin and sulphites. Our standard operating procedure ensures that all the ingredients we use in our kitchen are free from these allergens. However, please note that some of the products we procure may have been packaged in facilities that also handle some of these allergens.”

From Scotland with Love Theshowbizlion.com

DHABBA AND DAKHIN RESTAURANTS PUT CARDS IN GENTS FOR MOTHERS DAY

GLASGOW restaurants The Dhabba and Dakhin have decided to put roses and cards in their male toilets to help relieve the stress of Mothers Day.
Mothering Sunday is on the same day as the Old Firm game this weekend so Glasgow men will no doubt be sinking pints and reaching fever pitch rather than shopping for pressies.
Owner Navdeep Basi at the North and South Indian restaurants in Candleriggs came up with the genius idea to help football loving men with their last minute Mothers Day gift.
Removing the stress and anxiety of searching for a pressie, he and the staff  decided to put roses and cards in the male loos on Sunday.
It means disorganised diners will not only be able to treat their mummies to a slap up dinner, they’ll also be able to look like they’ve actually planned ahead.
Navdeep said: “We know that a lot of men in particular will be a bit preoccupied on Sunday so we’ve decided to help them out in the most discreet way we can. There will be roses and cards and pens available in the loos to help them get their act together on the big day. Mothers are very important in India and Scotland so this is our way of making sure they feel extra special.”
From Scotland with Love Theshowbizlion.com

WIN A VALENTINES DATE WITH CAITLYN VANBECK AND GREGOR HUNTER COLEMAN

SCOTS singers Caitlyn Vanbeck and Gregor Hunter Coleman have offered themselves up for a hot double date with lonely singletons this Valentines Day. 

The talented twosome who have performed on our screens through X Factor and beyond teamed up with Scots online beauty company Washmestyleme.com and Glasgow’s Dhabba restaurant to give two lucky winners a priceless night to remember. 

And two separate winners  will be treated to a bundle of K|Night, Betty Jo and Pain In The Sass perfume and aftershave gifts and toiletries alongside a full three course meal with drinks. 

As well as dining with the singing stars each winner will be given a love book about Indian Goddess of Love Kamadeva, and a bunker pack of pressies from the Washmestyleme.com website created by 22 year old Scots beauty entrepreneur Alana Taylor. 

Caitlyn from Edinburgh who has had hundreds of millions of hits online and once shared a flirty exchange with Justin Bieber said: “When it comes to dating I’ve not yet met Mr Right so this night could be perfect in every way. As well as smelling nice we’re all going to leave our dates with very full bellies.”

Glasgow’s Gregor Hunter Coleman, who counts Nicola Sturgeon amongst his admirers,  says he’s had a whole host of bad dates - including one where his ‘ex girlfriend ended up serving him and his date on a night out - leading to a very unfortable atmosphere’, can’t wait to play host with the most and wine and dine his winning date on Valentines week. 

He said: “It’ll be a fun night and I’m more than happy to serenade my date on the evening. I can’t wait to see what Lady Luck brings my way.”

Both Caitlyn and Gregor want to hear about peoples worst dating stories and two winners who impress with their tales of woe will be picked for a Valentines date with them. 

Entrants must be over 18, able to take their prize in Glasgow between February 13-17 and willing candidates should send their worst date story and name, age and address to alana@washmestyleme.co.uk by February 11.

As part of Valentines Day, toiletry company Washmestyleme.com have reduced the price of their aftershave and perfume box sets by up to a third. The Dhabba In Candleriggs is also offering the first thirty couples who book on Valentines Day a copy of the book of God of Desire Kamadeva. 

GLASGOW FOOD TRENDS - SEAWEED TO CELERY AND SEEDS

Glasgow will be welcoming some new food trends this year including seaweeds, oat milk and seed butters.
While donuts and avocados were all the trend in 2018 we are planning to go back to basics for the next twelve months according to food experts around the globe.

Seaweed
Seaweed is bigger than ever - Rich in antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, edible seaweed also lends a nutritious taste to mealtime. Kelp and dulse flakes, seaweed pestos and crisps are the in snack to have at any respectable dinner party.


Paleo and Vegan food or Pegan as it is known will also be popular. It’s continuation of clean eating with plenty of veg and fruits, high quality fats and food including fish, and meat that hasn’t been treated with pesticides antibiotics or hormones.

Vegan
Vegan dishes are already rearing their head  with eateries like Glasgow’s Dhabba North Indian restaurant launching a bespoke Vegan menus for customers who care.
Diners can enjoy delights including Gol Gappa - crispy puffed bread with sported potato, chickpeas and cumin and Bhendi Do Payazi with okra, red onion, ginger and chillies and Daal Makhani, a rich concoction of black lentils, kidney beans and split chickpeas.
Breads and salads are also on the separate menu.
Latest figures show that 3.5 million people now identify as vegan, 20% of under-35s have tried veganism, and 25% of our evening meals are now meat-free.
Vegan wines are also going to be big sellers.

French patisseries
Doughnuts are being replace by eye catching desserts and cakes as we go for more French fancies: mille feuille, flans patissier, madeleines, religieuses. Desserts are becoming as stylish as the people eating them which could be interesting in Glasgow.

Celery Juice
Celery Juice is also being praised for its ability to help remove toxins from your body and stabilize blood pressure levels. It’s not the only drink that will be hitting the healthmark this year with Oatmilk also being the latest non-dairy alternative to hit the aisles. Dairy-free options, will continue to attract sales but caution should be Fakebake to ensure that additives and artificial flavours aren’t boosting the flavour too much.

Seed Butters.                                             Exotic butters will remain a staple but this time round people are opting for seed butters as an alternative to peanut, almond and cashew. Look out for lots of sunflower seed butter and tahini, a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries in restaurants as well as pumpkin, and watermelon seed butters, which share the same good fat profile of nut butters. They are a good alternative for those with nut allergies.


Vegetable ice creams.                                      In a world which is becoming more aesthetically pleasing we will also contradict ourselves with the veg we buy. Imperfect vegetables are on this years hotlist and misshapen fruit and veg that would otherwise go to waste, will inspire us to create more crisps and sauces made from rescued food. There will even be ice creams made of vegetables coming to a freezer shelf near you.

Rum
And while Gin was the most have drink of 2019, we will see a definite shift to Rum as Millenials choose barrel-aged, small-batch craft rums, fine rums from traditional Caribbean makers and now, British rums. Dark, golden, string or sweet, there is plenty of choice.

GAIL PORTER STRANDED IN GLASGOW SNOW

Beverley Lyons
SCOTS presenter Gail Porter ended up being stranded in Glasgow after being unable to get back to London in the snow.
The former Top Of The Pops presenter has spent the last five days in Glasgow after being unable to get a train home to see her daughter Honey.
Gail, who went for a hot curry at the Dhabba in Glasgow’s merchant city, said: “I came up to Glasgow to do a wee job which was cancelled and haven’t been able to get back since Wednesday. I love Scotland and I would move back here in a moment.”
Gail revealed she’s spent every morning at 5am going into Central Station in Glasgow to see if she could get a train home.
She said: “I’ve been up at 5am every morning and waited at the station for five hours each day just to see if there was a train due. The staff at the station know me by name and told me that there was still no service. I have a return ticket and I need to use it.”
Gail’s hot water and heating had broken down in her London flat so she was grateful for hot showers at her Glasgow hotel.
She added: “I had to have cold showers so it was s but ifs shock to the system. I am enjoying that side of things here but it’s time to go home now.”